Garrison Life Is Getting A Lot Worse For The Shrinking US Military

Being in the military during the past decade of war has been
tough for many service members, but the life of peacetime service
soon to hit combat-tested troops will present its own challenges.

The military will be cut substantially in the next few years,
with a reduction of 80,000 from
the Army and roughly 20,000 from the Marines.

But the brass can't just hand out pink slips. Instead, top
leaders are making changes that will make garrison life pretty
annoying — at least for junior enlisted troops — so they leave
the service at the end of their contracts without even the
thought of reenlistment.

Nowhere is this more apparent, at least on the Marine Corps side,
than from an internal email sent out Tuesday detailing new
guidelines for "leadership focused actions" from Brig. Gen. James
Hartsell, who was relaying the latest from the Commandant of the
Marine Corps.

There are a number of things mentioned in the email: The general
wants junior Marines to read some publications on leadership,
have better criteria for promotions, and wants
"our NCOs
[noncommissioned officers] and leaders out from behind their
computers and in front of their Marines!"

The most notable
part of the email comes at the bottom, which is labeled
barracks-related actions. The new guidance offers changes that
are sure to make life a whole lot less fun, especially in the
barracks (military-speak for what are basically
dormitories).

"Marines who do not want to
live up to our standards will be held accountable," he writes.
That last word, accountable, may not mean "you're fired!" right
away, but it certainly makes it easier to choose who it's going
to be.

Single sergeants and corporals, who
previously were able to get out of the barracks and be paid a
housing allowance, will once again be forced back into the
barracks. A place where, the general writes, officers and other
leaders are to "regularly conduct visits in the Barracks
between the hours of 2000-0400."

It gets worse. From the email:

4. There will be two NCO's on every deck in a Barracks and
there will be a Firewatch posted on every deck.

5. There will be no TV's or video games allowed in the
Watch standers place of duty.

6. Units will establish an Interior Guard with a SNCO in
charge of the Interior Guards training.

In a nutshell, many more Marines are going to be sleeping less
and walking aimlessly around the barracks starting soon.

"The Intent of
this refocused effort of reinforcing NCO leadership in our Corps
is to instill improved Good Order and Discipline," writes
Hartsell, "and to help address the problems of Hazing, Sexual
Harassment/Assault, and Suicide."

And from Stripes, there's a new policy hitting the Army in the
next 30 to 60 days concerning tattoos and grooming standards.
In short, ink on new recruits is going to be heavily
scrutinized, and existing soldiers will have to submit paperwork
to get theirs "grandfathered in."

Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond Chandler says its a matter of
"maintaining a uniform look and sacrificing for the sake of the
force."

Some observers have noted the Army’s habit of changing its
policies depending on its recruiting needs. The previous change
was in 2006, when the Army loosened requirements on tattoos
during the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan war efforts. Under
those regulations only tattoos that covered the face or head were
banned.

This time around, the policy shift comes amid U.S.
government preparations to downsize the military
as troops withdraw from
Afghanistan and the looming prospect of severe
funding cuts to the armed services.

It's not just tattoos. There are a ton of changes coming to
the Army's uniform policy, to include the necessity to be clean
shaven at all times (even off duty and when on leave), a more
restrictive haircut policy, and the specification of civilian
clothing standards off duty.

If you are depending on the Army for great fashion sense, you're
going to have trouble. Not surprisingly, soldiers are
offering a mostly negative reaction to the changes.

The combat veterans of the past few years are about to get
hit with the garrison life reality they missed because everyone
was busy fighting the bad guys.

"Garrison life is the pits. The difference is now we (combat
vets) have seen the "other side/combat." Nothing pushes up urges
to kill yourself like spending 10 hours of work/admin paperwork
for every one you're out at the range or training, or doing risk
assessments to drive your car to a town that doesn't suck for the
weekend, having your car inspected, having your room inspected,
asking your boss if its okay to go outside of the 60 mile radius
for the weekend, sitting through your pre/post deployment health
assessment, sitting through power point suicide prevention
classes, "reunion" classes, etc. Nothing beats mass punishment
too. You have to love being called in after a 90 hour work week
on your weekend b/c someone else got a DUI."

So with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan winding down, military
leaders are bringing back the "garrison life" of years past
that will
certainly help the mission of downsizing — whether troops like it
or not.